Modern cars have devices enabling drivers to express their intentions to other drivers with respect to upcoming stops or turns. The most common mechanism for indicating driving intentions is a signal lamp or light activated from within the vehicle and visible from outside the vehicle, e.g., turn/stop signal lamps. Such signaling lights are often found on the front and rear of vehicles.
Referring more specifically to turn signal lamps or other direction indicators, such indicators traditionally show only the direction (left or right) that the driver intends to turn the vehicle, and not the degree or timing of the turn. In complex road topology, however, left/right direction indicators are not enough. Drivers often misunderstand others' direction intention so that the misunderstanding results in accidents. Even in a simple road topology, such a misinterpretation may happen due to the lack of information.
By way of example, a segment of US HWY 101 North includes, in very close proximity, the flowing possible right turns: right onto US 101, right to exit to Interstate highway 280, right to exit to Interstate highway 680, right to exit to Story Rd North, and right to exit to Story Rd South. If a tailing driver drives on US HWY 101 North at this point and sees that a car ahead is flashing its right turn signal, the right turn signal can be interpreted in many different ways, and is thus of little or no use to the driver of the tailing vehicle.
While the disclosed principles herein are directed at least in part to overcoming one or more disadvantages, noted or otherwise, it will be appreciated that the innovation herein is defined by the attached claims without to regard to whether and to what extent the specifically claimed embodiment overcomes one or more of the noted problems in the existing technology.